From The Courier: A Carnoustie woman who was “the lifeblood” of Arbroath Football Club for more than 50 years has died aged 67.
Lifelong Arbroath supporter Margaret Ripley began helping out around Gayfield Park when she was 12. The retired office manager volunteered in the tearoom and pie stands, and sold season tickets.
Her husband Alan, 69, took up the post of club treasurer and the couple worked side by side at Gayfield for more than 30 years. The Ripleys moved to Carnoustie about 35 years ago.
Mr Ripley said: “We were coming up to 48 years married in March. It was good to work together on everything at the club like that. You’re not on your guard with your wife.
“And she was very, very organised — not like me. I just fell in with her. We retired from the club in 2011, but she still went to games now and again.”
Elder daughter Alison, 40, added: “She worked at Gayfield in a manner of posts. The only job she hadn’t tackled was playing, but she could sure pass comment on the game. She did everything for us.
“It started with a bit of a cold, but we’re still waiting for the police to get back to us about whether she had pneumonia or an ear infection that developed into meningitis.”
Mrs Ripley was born in Arbroath and attended Arbroath High, leaving at 16 to work for Giddings and Lewis-Fraser as a clerk.
She also worked at Inglis Shepherd, and Lord Snooty’s and Dick Precast in Carnoustie. She is also survived by daughter Sharon, 34, and grandchildren Erin, 6, Cerys, 3, and one-year-old Harris.
Mike Cargill, office manager for Arbroath FC, said: “She was the lifeblood of the club.”